By: Muhammd Jalal
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has urged Nigerian youth to take the lead in driving Africa’s digital transformation, emphasising that the nation’s young population holds the key to a prosperous and inclusive future.
Delivering his opening remarks at the three-day Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition 2025 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, Inuwa extended heartfelt appreciation to the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his presence, describing it as a powerful demonstration that this administration cares deeply about our youth.
The conference provides a dynamic platform for ecosystem stakeholders to showcase their work and explore emerging trends aimed at transforming the nation and continent’s digital future.
Organised by NITDA, the Digital Nigeria Conference serves as a platform that bridges government and industry, fostering collaboration between policymakers, innovators, and private-sector leaders. It aims to qharmonise regulatory frameworks, promote public–private partnerships, and drive the effective implementation of Nigeria’s national digital strategies for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Inuwa noted that the conference’s theme, Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness, aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on economic diversification through digitalisation, industrialisation and innovation.
He highlighted that Nigeria, with over 220 million people and an average age of 18, stands at a critical crossroads, one that could either unleash unprecedented prosperity or deepen socio-economic challenges if the nation fails to harness the creativity of its youth.
“If we harness the energy, the creativity and talent of our youth, we are not just going to power Nigeria, but we can power the entire Africa into a new era of prosperity. But if we fail to do that, if we fail to skill our youth, if we fail to provide a platform for them to create value, we are stunting the most valuable asset we have as a nation,” he noted.
The NITDA DG revealed that the 2025 edition of the conference has attracted over 4,800 participants from 12 countries and 25 Nigerian states, making it both a national and international gathering of innovators, policymakers, and investors.
He said, “This year’s event features 12 keynote sessions, 23 panel discussions, five workshops, and two expert masterclasses across five thematic tracks.”
He further enumerated the five tracks: digital connectivity, digital public infrastructure and trust, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, digital trade and innovation, and digital skills and literacy.
Inuwa called on participants to see the conference as more than a networking opportunity but as a catalyst for actionable collaboration.
“Every handshake, every dialogue, and every deal made here should be driven by one conviction: Nigeria can do it, and we will do it,” he affirmed.
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